𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐫 | n. tonks

ii

"How'd the hearing go?"

Tonks jumped and whirled around in shock, punching Hadley's shoulder as a reflex. "What are you doing here?" she asked in a harsh whisper. "We told you to stay at the house."

"I got bored." Hadley shrugged. She crossed her arms and nodded to Sirius, who was in his animagus form as he trotted through the subway station. "If you're gonna blame anyone, blame him. He said I could come with him before he apparated here."

"Oh, Merlin's beard," Tonks muttered, shaking her head. She grabbed Hadley by the baggy sleeve of her black hoodie and pulled her along as they caught up with Mad-Eye.

"Padfoot! Are you barking mad?" Mad-Eye asked when he spotted the dog, his walking stick clicking on the tile floor. "You'll blow the whole operation."

Sirius went down the stairs and into an empty room, Harry rushing after him. He closed the door behind them, leaving Mad-Eye, Tonks, and Hadley to wait for them outside.

The redhead leaned her shoulder against the wall and smiled innocently up at Tonks. "Sooooo how was the hearing?"

"Nosy much?" Tonks scoffed.

"I'm just curious," Hadley defended herself, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Is Harry getting expelled or not? And if he is, do I have permission to sneak some of Fred, George, and I's special sweets to the jury as payback for expelling him for self defense?"

"No one is getting expelled, and no, you cannot give the Ministry some cursed sweets." Tonks sent Hadley a pointed look. "That is the kind of action that'll ruin your chances at becoming an auror."

"It's just a harmless prank."

"It's a defiance of authority."

"If you two don't stop all that bickering, I swear..." Mad-Eye warned, glaring at the two girls.

"But she-"

"She's being so-"

"Zip it." Mad-Eye hit his walking stick against the floor, and Tonks and Hadley silenced their complaints.

He was sick of all their squabbling. The two had been back and forth with each other all summer. Tonks thought that Hadley was an immature brat, and Hadley thought that Tonks was a buzzkill. The auror would get frustrated with the youngest Weasley triplet whenever she'd target her for one - all - of her pranks.

Shock pen. Hiding her belongings and saying there were three hidden when really it was just two. Replacing the framed photos in her room with pictures that say 'Weasley is our queen'. Putting DIY spiders on the inside of her bedside table lamp shade. Switching the sugar with the salt for her tea. Telling her that she made chocolate chip cookies, but really they were raisin. Hiding behind a door or apparating to scare her.

These were just a few of the many recurring pranks that Hadley had pulled on Tonks over the summer holiday. Out of everyone in the house, she had picked her to be her only target. She didn't know why, but it was getting on her last fucking nerve.

Hadley was silent on the ride back to the Order's headquarters. She normally would've talked their ears off, but she knew that Tonks and Mad-Eye were already annoyed with her for ignoring their request that she stay at the house. It was rare that she ever actually listened to their orders.

Hadley chuckled softly to herself at her own joke.

Get it? Orders from the Order?

I know, I know. I'm a comedic genius.

Molly had lunch ready when they returned. Hadley took her usual spot next to George at the table, Tonks directly across from her. She spoke with her older brothers about the upcoming school year - which would also be their last at Hogwarts. They had plotted their practical jokes ahead of time and were prepared to go out with a bang.

Literally.

They ordered fireworks and everything.

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Hadley packed the last of her belongings into her trunk. She zipped it up and reached for the glass of water on her bedside table, only to find that it was empty. She reached for her wand to refill it with a spell until she remembered what her mother had said when she scolded her, George, and Fred for using so much magic.

"Just because you're allowed to use magic now does not mean you have to whip your wands out for everything!"

She opened the door to her room and walked downstairs for the first time in weeks. She'd normally apparate, but she'd already caused enough trouble by apparating to London with Sirius when she wasn't supposed to. Perhaps it was time to give it a rest for a while.

"Hi, Nympha- Tonks," Hadley corrected herself when the purple-haired auror narrowed her eyes at her. Tonks was sitting at the kitchen table with a copy of The Daily Prophet. There were annotations and highlights on it, which told Hadley that she was most likely doing work for the Order.

Tonks was probably glad that Hadley would be leaving to go back to school tomorrow. She'd caused nothing but trouble all summer.

"Are you all packed?" the young woman asked, her voice lacking the usual annoyance that came whenever she spoke to the Weasley girl.

"Mhm." Hadley filled the glass to the brim with ice before filling it with water from the tap. She leaned back against the counter and took a sip. "Working?"

"Yeah." Tonks flipped to the next page of the Prophet, clicking her pen as she read. "You-Know-Who is rumoured to be back," she circled a few words on the page, "the Death Eaters are creating havoc again," she highlighted a couple sentences, "and the Ministry is doing absolutely nothing about it."

"Let me guess." Hadley stole a chocolate chip from Tonks' bowl of trail mix. "Not enough 'proof'?"

"Yup." Tonks looked up at the teenager through her lashes and raised a brow. "It's a bit late for you, isn't it? You have to get up early to make the 11 o'clock train."

"It's only..." Hadley looked over at the clock hanging on the wall, "12:30." She shrugged and sat down across from Tonks at the table. She sipped her water quietly and drew patterns on the table with her fingertip while the auror worked.

Tonks appreciated the silence. Hadley was tolerable when she wasn't constantly running her mouth or acting a fool with her brothers.

When the glass of water was empty, Hadley filled it up again to place by her bedside for when she woke up in the morning. She quietly left the room and was about to pass the threshold when Tonks spoke.

"Goodnight."

She turned around, slightly caught off guard. Tonks gave her a small smile, which Hadley returned. "Goodnight."

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a/n

here's the second chapter! tonks and hadley already have my whole heart, and im so excited for their relationship to develop 🥺

for some reason wattpad isn't sending notifications about new chapters, so make sure to check back on tuesdays and saturdays so you don't miss anything

thoughts?